Scientists have identified the first blood biomarker for myocarditis – a cardiac disease that is often misdiagnosed as myocardial infarction.
The team detected the presence of the human homologue of micro RNA miR-721 in the blood of myocarditis patients.
Their results establish the first validated blood marker with high sensitivity and specifity (>90%) for myocarditis.
This will allow clinicians to distinguish between this disease and other cardiomyopathies, such as acute myocardial infarction, myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries, and other inflammatory diseases with an autoimmune origin.
Myocarditis is a disease of the heart caused by infection, toxins, drugs, or autoimmune disorders. If untreated, it can progress to potentially fatal dilated cardiomyopathy, requiring heart transplant.
Its prevalence remains uncertain because it is often difficult to achieve a confirmed diagnosis.
Image credit | iStock
